Combination cigarette case and lighter



Sept. 1, 1931. w. HOVNAN 1,821,753

COMBINATION'CIGARETTE CASE AND LIGHTER Filed March 18, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 1 i dm flawzan INVENTOR 'QRNEY Sept. 1, 1931. w. HOVNANCOMBINATION CIGARETTE CASE AND LIGHTER Filed March 18, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Will/e211 /70wza2z ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 1, 1931 ATENTQFFHCE WILLIAM HOVNAIT, F BELLAIRE, NEW'YORK COMBINATION CIGARETTE CASEAND LIGHTER Application filed March 18, 1930. Serial No. 436,839.

This invention relates to smokers equipment and more particularly toa'novel combination of a container'fcr cigarettesor the like with anigniting device.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a combinationcigarette case and lighter in which a supply of cigarettes and a lighterare arranged in compact order within a case, the cigarettes beingnormally disposed about the lighter and being adapted to be conveyed tothe point of ignition, the conveying means and igniting means beingmanually operated at the will of the user, so that the cigarette or thelike may be lighted before '15 removing the same from the case orcontainer.

Another object of the invention is to individually support thecigarettes upon a traveling conveyer which is adapted to move around thecigarette lighter within the case, whereby to successively present thecigarettes at the point of lighting.

Still another object of the invention is to enable the cover ofthecombination case to '4 be automatically opened as a cigarette ispresented at the point of lighting so that the cover will always be openduring the actual operation of lighting the cigarette.

Still another object of the invention is to enable the combination caseto indicate the number of pieces of cigarettes or the like within thecontainer so that the user can readily determine when it is necessary toreplenish the supply. of cigarettes.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a novel combinationcigarette case and lighter in which cigarettes may be kept in a cleansanitary condition, protected from dampness and against crushing, andwhich will eliminate the dangerous use of matches besides saving. thesmoker the embarrassment of asking a stranger for a light; and alsosaving the smokers time by the provision of mechanical means forlighting the cigarette, thereby doing away with the necessity for thesmoker searching through his pockets for a separate lighter, or for amatch, often without finding the same. 7

Yet another object of the invention is to simplify and improve theconstruction of devices of this character and to provide a simple, handyconvenient combination cigarette case and lighter of small size, whichcan be manufactured at small expense and which M will be extremely handyto use for the individual purposes of containing cigarettes, or

as a separate lighter, or for use in combination as describedherein. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafterspecifically pointed out, or will become apparent, as the specificationproceeds.

With the above indicated objects in view, the invention resides incertain novel con- I structions and combinations and arrangement ofparts, clearly described .in the following specification and fullyillustrated in the accompanying drawings, which latter show embodimentsof the invention as at present preferred.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the interior of the lighter with a side ofthe casing removed.

Fig. 2 is afront view of the interior of the casing, theouter coverbeing cut away to show the parts within...

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the combination case.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic detail view illustrating the cover closingdevice and the means for automatically releasing the same.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view'through the combination case takensubstantially on the line 5-5 of Fig.1.

Fig. 6 is an elevation showing the right hand side of the combinationcase as illustrated in Fig. 3. i r

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 77of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 88of Fig. 5.

The combination cigarette case and lighter in this instance includesanrouter casing 20 of convenient elongated form, having a rearwardportion 21' provided with a substantially semi-circular bottom portion22 and left and right hand end portions 23 and 24: respectively, theupper ends of the side portions 23 and 24 as well as the upper part ofthe rearward section 21 having a substantially semi-cylindrical cover 25preferably hinged to the back member 21 as indicated at 26. Theforwardly turned portion 27 of theback member 21 in this instance isprovided with a front cover 28 preferably hinged to the portion 27 asindicated 29.

he cover 25 is preferably equipped with a suitable spring device 30adapted to interlock with a projection 31 provided at the upper part ofthe front cover member 28 to normally hold the cover closed.

The casing 20 in this instance is provided 1 with a suitable lighter 32,this lighter being of conventional form and including a casing 33secured in place within the outer casing 20 as means of screw heldspacing members 34 at one end and similar but shorter spacing members 35at the opposite end.

The lighter casing 33 is spaced sufiiciently from the front cover andrear wall 28 and 21 respectively of the outer casing 20 to affordsuflicient space for a supply of cigarettes 36. The cigarettes 36 inthis instance are supported on individual holders or carriers 37 havingend compartments 37 a. These carriers are soldered or otherwise securedat their opposite ends to a pair of endless belts 3S and 39, these beltspreferably consisting of wire mesh or the like and being engaged by apair of toothed wheels 40 and 41 mounted upon a shaft 42 which extendsthrough a pipe 43 provided through the lighter casing 33. The shaft 42is provided with a thumb wheel 44 whereby the toothed wheels 40 and 41may be rotated to cause the belts 38 and 39, and hence the cigarettecarriers 37, to travel around the lighter casing 33. I

The lighter casing in this instance has a suitable wick 45, the end ofwhich is exposed at the upper left hand side of the lighter casing asindicated at 46, the interior of the casing 33 preferably containing asupply of cotton or the like 47 saturated with a suitable illuminant.Manually operated means are provided to ignite the wick 46 when acigarette has been presented in igniting position as seen at 48 in Figs.1 and 5. To this end a suitable flint or other type of igniting orsparking material 49 is mounted at the upper left hand side of thelighter casing, as indicated at 50, the igniting or sparking member 49being adapted to be frictionally engaged by a suitable sparking roller51 for producing a spar: to ignite the wick 46. Means are provided torapidly operate the roller 51 to produce an effective spark, said meansin this instance including a pair of gears 52 anc 53, the gear 53 andsparking'wheel 51 being jointly mounted on a shaft 54 and the gear 52being mounted upon a shaft 55 extending through the lighter casing 33and through the end wall 24 of the outer casing where the outer end ofthe shaft 55 is equipped with a suitable operating thumb wheel 56,rotation of which will cause a necessary spark to be produced to ignitethe wick 46. The shaft 55 preferably extends through a pipe or sleevewithin the lighter casing 33 so that no leakage of illuminating fluidcan occur to contaminate the cigarettes.

In loading the case 20 with cigarettes, the hinged cover 25 and frontcover 28 are opened and the cigarette carriers 37 are individuallysupplied with a cigarette 36. These carriers 37 are each provided withsuitable indicia, such as the numerals 57 which are adapted to beexposed at the front of the case through an opening 58 provided in'thefront cover 28. When carriers 37 have all been filled, the carrierbearing the number 20 is preferably at the top of the combination casedirectly above the wick 46. When the smoker desires to use a cigarette,he first turns the thumb wheel 44 to rotate the carriers upon theirbelts, thereby to convey a cigarette to the lighting position. Duringthis movement the rounded portion 59 of the carrier 37 approaching thetop of the container will engage beneath the spring member 30 which isprovided inside the cover member 25, which will cause the cover 25 toautomatically open at the instant the cigarette is presented in lightingposition. The user hen turns the thumb wheel 56, which produces a sparkand ignites the wick, the flame of which extends upward toward thecigarette 48 and lights the cigarette, whereupon the same is extractedfor use and enjoyment. It will be seen that the cigarettes are supportedin the carriers 37 so that the ends to be lighted project slightlybeyond the end of the lighter casing 33 so that the flame has directaccess to the end of the cigarette. To prevent the flame from be inprojected toward the front or rear walls of the outer casing 10,suitable aprons 60 and 61 are provided at the front and rear of thelighting apparatus. A suitable filling plug 62 is provided for use insupplying illuminant to the interior of the lighter casing 33.

The inside of the cover is preferably equipped with an extinguishingmember 63 which is adapted to enclose the end of the wick 46 when thecover 25 is restored to closed position, thus automaticallyextinguishing the flame.

The hereinbefore described construction admits of considerablemodification without departing from the invention; therefore, it is thewish not to be limited to the precise arrangements shown and described,which are as aforesaid, by way of illustration merely. In other wordsthe scope of protection contemplated is to be taken solely from theappended claims, interpreted as broadly as is consistent with the priorart.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette case and lighter including, in combination, an outercasing, having a cover, a cigarette lighter body within said casing,said lighter body mounted in spaced relation to the outer walls of saidcasing, a pair of endless mesh belts disposed around said lighter body,at opposite sidesther'eof, a plurality of individual cigarettecontainers secured to said endless belts, a shaft Within said container,one end of said shaft extending through said outer casing, a pair oftoothed wheels mounted on said shaft, said toothed Wheels in mesh withsaid endless belts, a manually operable device for rotating said shaftand hence said endless belts to present said cigarette containerssuccessively at the top of said lighter body, adj acent to said cover,means on said containers to open said cover, a wick at the upper part ofsaid lighter body and means to ignite said wick thereby to light acigarette positioned in its container above said Wick.

2. A cigarette case and lighter including, in combination, an outercasing, having a hinged cover, a cigarette lighter body within saidcasing, said lighter body mounted in spaced relation to the outer Wallsof said casing, a pair of endless mesh belts disposed around saidlighter body, at opposite sides thereof, a plurality of individualcigarette containers secured to said endless belts, means to rotate saidendless belts about said lighter body to present said cigarettecontainers successively at the top of said lighter body, adjacent tosaid cover, means onsaid containers to engage and open said cover, aWick at the upper part of said lighter body and means to ignite saidwick thereby to light a cigarette positioned in its container above saidwick.

8. A cigarette case and lighter including, in combination, an outercasing, having a hinged cover and hinged front plate, a cigarettelighter body Within said casing, said lighter body mounted in spacedrelation to the outer walls of said casing, a pair of endless mesh beltsdisposed around said lighter body, at opposite sides thereof, aplurality of individual cigarette containers secured to said endlessbelts, means to rotate said endless belts about said lighter body topresent said cigarette containers successively at the top of saidlighter body, adjacent to said cover, means on said containers to engageand open said cover, a wick at the upper part of said lighter body,means to ignite said wick thereby to light a cigarette positioned in itscontainer above said wick, the upper part of the front plate of saidcasing having a window opening therein, and said containers havingindicia thereon and visible through said window to indicate the numberof unused cigarettes in said casing.

4. A cigarette case and lighterincluding, in combination, an outercasing, having a belts, a manually operable device for rotating saidshaft and hence said endless belts to present said cigarette containerssuccessively at the top of said lighter body, adjacent to said cover,means on said containers to open said cover, a Wick at the upper part ofsaid lighter body, means to ignite said wickthereby to light a cigarettepositioned in its container above said Wick, said means including ashaft extending through said lighter body with one of its endsprojecting beyond an outer end of said casing, a sparking elementoperatively connected 'to said last named shaft, the upper part of thefront plate of said casing having -a window opening therein, saidcontainers having indicia thereon and visible through said window toindicate the number of unused cigarettes in said casing.

5. A cigarette case and lighter including, in combination, an outercasing, having a hinged cover and hinged front plate, a cigarettelighter body Within said casing, said lighter body mounted in spacedrelation to the outer walls of said casing, a pair of endless mesh beltsdisposed around said lighter body, at opposite sides thereof, aplurality of individual cigarette containers secured to said endlessbelts, a shaft extending through said lighter body, one end of saidshaft extending through said outer casing, a pair of toothed wheelsmounted on said shaft, said toothed Wheels in mesh with said endlessbelts, a manually operable device for rotating said shaft and hence saidendless belts to present said cigarette containers successively at thetop of said lighter body, adjacent to said cover, means on saidcontainers to open said cover, a wick at the upper part of said lighterbody means to ignite said wick thereby to light a cigarette positionedin its container above said Wick, said means including a shaft extendingthrough said lighter body with one of its ends projecting beyond anouter'end of said casing, and a sparking element operatively connectedto said last named shaft.

In testimony whereof hereby aflix my signature.

WILLIAM HOVNAN.

